AFL cracks down on Judd Visy deal

Chris Judd’s management intends to challenge the AFL’s decision not to approve a new third party arrangement between the Carlton captain and club sponsor Visy.

The AFL announced this morning that any new deal involving Judd and the company could no longer be excluded from the Blues’ Additional Services Agreement (ASA) limit or Total Player Payments (TPP).

Exclusion of the deal, believed to be worth more than $250,000 a year, is set to put even more pressure on the Blues’ already tight salary cap.

The deal, which was payment for Judd’s services as ambassador for Visy, had played a crucial role in the superstar midfielder’s move to the club from West Coast in 2008, and had one more year to run as part of the original six-year contract.

But the AFL’s general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson said the payments would no longer be permitted outside the salary cap following a revision of the rules regarding third-party deals last month.

‘‘A previous arrangement between Chris Judd and Visy had been approved by the AFL as an employment agreement in 2008,’’ Anderson said in a statement.

‘‘Since that time and with the advent of free agency, the AFL has tightened the criteria for the approval of such third party arrangements.

‘‘The consequence of this decision means that any future payments made under arrangements between Chris Judd and Visy need to be included in Carlton’s ASA limit or TPP.’’

Judd’s manager Paul Connors said he planned to argue the position of his client.

‘‘There’s rules and regulations. The AFL is obviously an extremely powerful organisation and they can have their say, but there’s also due process and you’re allowed to argue the case,’’ Connors told SEN radio.

‘‘There’s always room to wriggle and we disagree with their initial findings.

‘‘I’m not sure what has changed (since it was approved).’’

Anderson said the AFL would continue to scrutinise related-party deals for players across the game.

The AFL’s crackdown comes during its investigation of former Adelaide forward Kurt Tippett’s alleged third party agreements.

It was reported that McMahon Services and Balfours Bakery paid the full forward a combined total of up to $60,000 to entice him to remain in Adelaide when his last contract was being negotiated.